Martin Joseph KAIN

Badge Number: 20405
20405

KAIN, Martin Joseph

Service Number: 15932
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: Army Medical Corps (AIF)
Born: Hamley Bridge, South Australia, 24 July 1884
Home Town: Not yet discovered
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Fitter
Died: Torrensville, South Australia, 4 April 1950, aged 65 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: AIF Cemetery, West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia
Section: LO, Road: 6S, Site No: 6
Memorials: Freeling Boer War, Boxer Rebellion and WW1 Memorial Panel, Prospect Roll of Honour G-Z WWI Board, Unley Town Hall WW1 Honour Board, Wasleys and District Roll of Honor
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World War 1 Service

25 Oct 1916: Involvement Private, 15932, Army Medical Corps (AIF), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: ''
25 Oct 1916: Embarked Private, 15932, Army Medical Corps (AIF), HMAT Ulysses, Melbourne
11 Nov 1918: Involvement Private, 15932

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Biography contributed by tony griffin

Martin Joseph Kain was the son of Martin and Annie (nee Fitzgerald) Kain.  He was born at Hamley Bridge on the 24 July 1884. Having served 5 years as an apprentice, Martin was a fitter by trade when he enlisted in Adelaide on 28th February, 1916.  At 32 years and 4 months Martin was 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighed 150 lbs, was of fresh complexion with blue eyes and auburn hair. Prior to his enlistment Martin had served 5 years in the Rifle Defence Club.

            Initially appointed to Light Horse 2nd Depot at Mitcham Camp, Martin was eventually posted to the Australian Medical Corps on the 1st July 1916 and then 2 months later, on the 1st September, to Reinforcements Australian Medical Corps. Martin embarked from Port Melbourne aboard the “Ulysses” on the 25th September and disembarked at Plymouth, England on the 28th December, 1916. The following day Martin marched into the Australian Army Medical Corps Training Depot at No.2 Camp, Parkhouse. He trained here for 3 months before proceeding overseas to France from Folkestone.

        Landing in France he marched into Etaples to the Australian General Base Depot. From the 9th April Martin spent about 26 days in a segregation camp. We can only presume this was as a medical orderly as his military records indicate no form of punishment or illness. Finally on the 12th June 1917 he marched into the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station in the field at Trois Arbres. This was an extremely busy time for 2ACCS. In June 248 Officers and 7193 Other Ranks were admitted from the front lines, only 7000 yards away. The staff of 11 Officers, 13 Nursing Sisters and 86 members of the Australian Medical Corps, not only had to deal with aiding and evacuating the wounded but also with bombs and shrapnel, as the nearby railway and a Royal Flying Corps observation balloon were continually under attack from enemy aircraft and artillery. On July 22nd an aeroplane dropped 2 bombs into the camp killing 2 patients and 2 orderlies. In August the camp was hit by drifting mustard gas and despite precautions some staff and patients were affected. By January of 1918 the heavy snow and the thaw had turned the place into a filthy state of mud and slush. A furious gale blowing down the tents contributed to the very difficult conditions in which Martin worked. At the end of January Martin was granted 2 weeks leave back to the United Kingdom.

            In March of 1918 the German Army began an offensive that caused orders to be received for the immediate closing down of the station, the nursing sisters to be evacuated to St.Omens and all patients able to travel to be evacuated by train at 10am on the 11th March. We can only imagine how hard Martin and the other staff worked. All but 17 patients had been evacuated and the tents were down by sunset. Within 2 days the Nissan huts had been dismantled and on the 14th March orders were received to have the new site near Outtersteene ready to receive wounded within 48 hours. By 11 am on the 16th the new station was equipped and ready to receive 200 patients.

            Ten days later orders were again received to move further back to Ana Jana railway siding and within 2 days 50 marquees were erected, wards equipped and electric lights installed in operating theatres and dressing rooms. Duck boards were laid and store rooms erected. By the 9th April wounded were arriving in large numbers with 1500 cases admitted in 60 hours. At midday on the 12th April orders were again received for all patients to be evacuated at once and the station to be packed up and ready to be moved by nightfall. The men were now working day and night. The new station at Blendecques was working by April 17th and in the first 96 hours had received 1200 cases. With the German offensive thwarted and with the end of the war near Martin was granted 2 weeks leave to Paris from the 2nd November to the 14th November. What an experience for Martin to have been in Paris when the armistice was signed on the 11th November, 1918.           

Martin remained in France with his unit until he was admitted to the 7th Canadian General Hospital with “mild inflammation of the connective tissues of the buttock”. 5 days later he was evacuated to England and admitted to the Endell Street Military Hospital in London. He completed his recovery at the 3rd Auxillary Hospital before being assigned to the Australian Army Medical Corps Training Depot.

            On the 23rd June, 1919 Martin embarked from England aboard the troopship “Orita” but after eleven days at sea he was admitted to the ship’s hospital for four days suffering from Coryza. Martin disembarked in Melbourne on the 6th August, 1919 and was discharged on the 14th September. Martin never married and died at Torrensville on 4 April 1950, at the age of 64. He is buried in the West Terrace Cemetery.

 

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